The tsunami has provided a link between holidays and charity. We've donated our money and we know how vital our visits are - if holidaymakers don't come, tourism-related jobs will vanish and stomachs will go empty.

Every drink that a tourist buys, every meal enjoyed in a restaurant, every piece of craftwork bought, means more than we imagine to those who serve it or who make it. A carving that's cheap to Westerners might provide food and clothing for a large family, plus school books and school fees for children. Rural economies are very interdependent - if one family can afford to school, clothe and feed its children, it may provide income for another family selling food or cloth. Remove one card - the tourist - and the whole house of cards collapses.

Trade not aid is a laudable aim, but how do you achieve it? Brighter Futures is an organisation working, initially, with the people of The Gambia and Sri Lanka.

It buys goods from local producers at a fair price and sells them, via the web, at a fair price to the consumer - a fair deal for all.

A note with a necklace that I bought (£12.50) told me that its maker was pleased to do business with me. He was sending his daughters to school with the proceeds. It's good to know my purchase helped a Gambian family to improve their lives while maintaining their dignity.

Visit www.brighterfutures.bi, or www.realholiday.co.uk for more information about how to help those affected by the tsunami or caught in poverty traps in Africa. You can help, too, by spending your money wisely both on holiday and at home.